New Acquisitions

Broken fishhook, curved base portion remaining, possibly from one-piece fishhook point.

Broken shank, with only base remaining.

Middle piece of tab

Broken fishhook point with slight curve. Only base and part of shaft remaining.

Broken fishhook shank, shank remaining, broken at base. Knobs at head.

Broken shank, upper remaining. Knobs at head.

Complete straight fishhook point, with internal barb at tip. Notches along one edge.

Broken curved fishhook point, with most remaining except tip.

Broken straight fishhook point, with base and part of shaft remaining. Notches present at base.

Complete taiaha. Surface is worked smooth and polished. Human face carved on each side at the proximal end. Protruding tongue has a rauru (spiral and notch) pattern. Two eyes have paua shell inlays intact. Blade is narrow and rounded, with a large chip missing from the edge.

Complete plaster cast of a whakapakoko atua or atua kiato (god stick), painted dark brown. Top end is a human head in profile, with eyebrows, jaw line, and neck depicted. Body is represented by a curves and waves down the length of the stick, tapering and coming to a blunt point at the base.

Complete taiaha. Roughly carved human faces on each side of the proximal end. Metal drawing pins in three of the four eyes (perforation visible where one is missing). Unfinished spiral incised markings on one side of protruding tongue. Dark dyed twisted piece of fibre tied around the centre of the blade.